Geraldine: No offense meant (or taken). I was just having a bit of
role-play fun.
I think I get what you mean--we need _the other_ if we're to play
compare-and-contrast. But as far as the poems themselves, I don't think
John's existence had any effect on Lowell's poetry, and vice versa. Each
wrote what their talents, but also their education, allowed. That's where
the matrix of friendships and the informal reading lists come in. John, of
course, has read all of Lowell's reading list, but I doubt that Lowell ever
bothered to delve too deeply into John's list--noblesse oblige only goes so
far. And I suspect that some of what I take to be Lowell's deficiencies
were a product of poor education--he simply wasn't aware of a lot of the
possibilities.
Sorry the field of examples is all US, and I hope that the other kinds of
anglophones on the list are filling in their own figures.
Mark
At 01:24 PM 6/1/2001 +0100, Geraldine Monk wrote:
>
>
>Well it's now morning Mark (well afternoon - which is my
>sort of morning) and I'm not sure what you are surprised
>about so its a bit difficult explaining myself (I feel like I'm
>back in school 'explain yourself girl!').
>So before I run off to the shops here it is in Janet & John
>speak:
>
>Lowell is more widely know than Wieners so tis possible
>to meet people that have heard of L and not W. Agreed?
>
>If there was no mainstream or established or acceptable
>norm to react against or contrast with ie if everyone wrote
>a la Wieners (!) then Wieners would be the norm established
>acceptable (not sure if that would make Lowell a raging
>avant gardist!). I didn't mean the Wieners needs Lowell
>literarally I was merely taking L as representative of an
>ilk. I do think though that poetic 'factions' are more
>symbiotic than is generally admitted. O.K. Can I go
>to the shops now Sir?
>
>Best G
>
>P.S. To be read in a jocular fashion. I'm not intending
>sarcasm - its far too early.
>
>
>
>As to the following, I think John would be greatly surprised,
>as am I. Have a good sleep and explain yourself in the morning.
>
>Mark
>
>
>>I'd drink to Wieners over Lowell anyday but I
>>also recognise that without a Lowell there can
>>be no Wieners. I appreciate Lowell for that.
>>The depressing thing is would a Lowell fan
>>even know there was a Wieners
>>(rhetorical question).
>>
>>I must now bid you all goodnight,
>>
>>G.
>>
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